- Clinicians should obtain an updated medical, social, and dental history and perform an intraoral and extraoral conventional visual and tactile examination in all adult patients.
- For patients with suspicious lesions, clinicians should immediately perform a biopsy of the lesion or refer the patient to a specialist.
- Salivary and light-based adjuncts are not recommended for evaluating lesions for malignancy.
Evaluation of Potentially Malignant Disorders in the Oral Cavity Clinical Practice Guideline (2017)
A panel of experts convened by the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs presents a clinical practice guideline to inform clinicians about the potential use of adjuncts as triage tools for the evaluation of lesions, including potentially malignant disorders (PMDs), in the oral cavity.
Key Points
- Clinical recommendations
- Systematic review
- Chairside guide
- Oral Health Topics: Cancer (head and neck)
- New Dentist Now blog: How to Evaluate Patients for Oral Cancer
- Guidance pamphlet: "Cancer Prevention through HPV Vaccination: An Action Guide for Dental Health Care Providers"
- Search JADA for research related to oral cancer
- ADA Library resources
- Instructional video on how to check patients for oral cancer
- MouthHealthy: Oral cancer
- For the Patient: Oral cancer
- Search the ADA Store for products related to oral cancer, including the ...